consumption of wire-worm, turnip-fly, daddy long-legs,
and countless other animals of whose scientific designation
I am as ignorant as of those just mentioned.
Besides from the direct benefit to man to which I have
alluded, the Starling from its beauty, its sprightly
manners, its cheery notes, and its pleasant familiarity is
worthy of protection and encouragement. Pew more
interesting “ bird-shows ” are to be seen in our Islands
than a vast assemblage of Starlings wheeling over their
roosting-places in the reed-beds of our fen-districts, or
the small coverts that they generally select as dormitories
in more elevated localities. In this connection I may
mention that several instances have come to my knowledge
of the sudden desertion of a favourite roosting-
resort of Starlings without any apparent cause, and on
the other hand I am assured by a friend who resides in
the extreme west of Devon that although some forty
years ago the Starling was a somewhat scarce bird in his
neighbourhood, one of his plantations has now become
the nightly resort of many thousands of these birds
during the autumn and winter months. There has been a
considerable amount of discussion and controversy as to
the number of broods yearly reared by a pair of Starlings,
some observers maintaining that only one brood is
reared, whilst others say that three broods are not
infrequently brought to maturity in the spring and
summer of a single year by the same parents. Prom
my own personal observation, I am inclined to think
that two broods is rather the rule than the exception ; I
cannot recall any instance of three having come to my
knowledge. The imitative powers of the . Starling in